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Show life, and taught to make their liviug by agriculture, and where their children can be educated. The principles laid down in the case ofUStanding Bear" (5th Dill., 453) should not, in my opinion, be applied to a people utterly ignorant and devoid of reaaon, and mere dependents for existence upon the bounty of the Governmont. These roving bands are the wards of the Government, and are entirelyincompetent to comprehend their situation, and it is the duty of the Government to take suchaction as may he for their best interest, without applying to them the teohnical principles npon which the writ of habew oo?yus is baaed. The subject of Indians leaving their reservations is causing the ofice considerable embarrassment, and I believe the matter should he laid before Congress, with aview to securing such legislation as will euable the Department in all cases, with the aid of the military, if necessary, to send to their reservations all Indians absent therefrom without per-mission from the Department, and to keep them there. I BLAUK BOB SHAWNEE LANUS W KANRAS. On October 30,1885, there were filed in this office, for approval of the Department, twenty.five deeds from members of the Black Bob band of Shawnee Indians, or their descendants or representatives, conveying certain lands which had been patented to them, situated on the reser-vation of the band in Johnson County, Kansas. In consequence of rep-resentations made relative to the method of procnriug these convey-ances, action on the question of their approval was suspended uutil an investigation could be had aa to the sufficiency of the consideration in each oase, and as to the methods used to *cure the deeds. On Decem-ber 18, 1885, I instructed United States Special Agent E. E. White to make a full investigation of the subject, which was done. The report and accompanying papers are quite volnminous, consisting of some thousand or twelve hundred pages of closely written matter. An examination of these papers will be made as soon as possible and the matter will be presented to the Department by special report. SALE OF IOWA RESERVATION IN KANSAS AND NEBRASKA. I In my last annual report it was stated that the Iowas requested that action as to thedisposition of their hnda under the act of March 3,1885 (23 Stab., 351), be delayed until Congress could remedy certain defects in the law, viz, the failure to provide formaking allotments to orphw and minors. The matter waa reported to Congress February 8,1886 (Senate Bx. Doc. No. lo), and a bill covering the case, prepared in this otlice, passed the Senate May 17,1883, bat was not acted upon in the House of Bep-resentativea No further adion nuder said act will be taken uutil the necessary legislation is had to remedy the defects complained of by the I Indians. |
